WASHINGTON – Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt is visiting southern Alaska to see how telehealth is being used to improve access in rural parts of the state.

To better understand the challenges of access to care, Leavitt is visiting Native villages and two regional tribal health consortiums.

Leavitt will meet with tribal leaders to discuss the healthcare goals of the Alaska Native people and view demonstrations of how telemedicine and telehealth are employed to increase access and quality of care to Alaska Native communities.

Reportedly, the use of telemedicine and telehealth is making an important impact on improving access to healthcare in rural Alaska.

By using telemedicine and telehealth, patients who live in rural Alaska have better and timely access to critical care through medical specialties, such as cardiology, pediatrics and radiology.

"While Alaska faces unique access to care challenges, the healthcare delivery systems in place serve as model of effective telehealth and telemedicine for other rural communities," Leavitt said. "I look forward to continuing my work with local, state and tribal leaders to address barriers and increase access to care."

Leavitt will also meet with healthcare providers, employers and insurers to discuss the healthcare challenges in Alaska and the transformation of the current health system into a system that delivers high quality care at low cost.

This vision for the healthcare system includes advancing interoperable health information technology; measuring and publishing price information to give consumers information they need to make better decisions on purchasing healthcare; measuring and publishing quality information to enable consumers to make better decisions about their care; and promoting incentives for quality and efficiency of care.